Hinge.



W. S. MAXWELL.

HINGE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1908.

. Patented Aug.17,19o9.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

WILLIAM S. MAXWELL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOANTHONY F. ITTNER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

HINGE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

Application led May 21, 1908. Serial No. 434,037.

To all whom "it 'may concern.'

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM S. MAXWELL, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Hinges, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to hinges and more particularly to hinges forsuit cases and the like, and it has for its principal objects to providefor the far opening of the hinged lids, to avoid springing the hingesand pulling them loose, to cheapen the cost of manufacture, and toattain certain other advantages hereinafter more fully appearing.

It is commonly known that the usual construction and arrangement of suitcases, especially those covered with heavy leather or other thickmaterial, is such that the hinged lids are prevented from being swung asfar open as is desirable. Usually the hinges are buried beneath theouter covering and the lids when opened tothe fullest limit, extend atan upwardinclination from the hinged side, because the `edge of thethick covering material of the lid comes in contact with covering at theback of the case,`at` a point just below the hinge joint, before theiange portion of the lid can come flatwise against the back of the case.The result is that by pressure on the lid and also by its own weight,there is a tendency to strain and spring the hinges and pull them loosefrom their fastenings, and to otherwise damage.

the case.

rlhe present invention obviates the fore going `disadvantages and itconsists principally in the novel construction and arrangement of thehinges, and, further, in the parts and in the arrangements andcombinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, andwherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur, Figure 1is an end elevation of a suit case embodying my invention, the lid beingshown by dotted lines in the fully opened position which theconstruction and arrangement permits; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section ofa suit case embodying my invention, taken vertically, adjacent to ahinge, and the hinge members being shown in edge elevation; Fig. 3 is afragmentary rear elevation of a portion of the suit case adjacent to ahinge; Fig.. 4 is a longitudinal section through a hinge with thereinforcing plate detached; Fig. 5 is a. detail perspective view of thehinge members detached; and Fig. G is a detail perspective view of amodified hinge member.

rThe suit case illustrated in the drawings comprises a body portion 1.This body por tion is built of an inner boXlike stiffening frame offiber board or the like 2, and an outer covering of material 3,preferably leather. The open top portion of the body 1 is stiifened by arectangular frame 4c around which the edge portion of the outer coveringis folded inwardly and stitched or otherwise secured. The lid 5 is alsoconstructed of an inner frame of stiff board 6 and an outer covering ofheavy material 7. The flange portion S of the lid is further reinforcedby a strip 9, preferably of hoop iron or the like. An inner lining ofheavy material 10 is provided also.

The construction above described is common in high grade cases, and theoutei1 coverings are usually of heavy leather. To avoid marring theoutward appearance of the case, the hinges have generally been buriedbeneath the outer covering and, in some instances, on the inside of theinner stifl'ening frame for the purpose of resisting pulling strain uponthe hinges. From these arrangements arise the disadvantages hereinbeforeset forth, which manufacturers have, with but little success, long beenstriving to overcome without detracting from the outward appearance ofthe case.

My invention embodies a novel construction and arrangement of hingewhich may be readily adjusted and applied to cases and lids constructedof materials of various kinds and thicknesses, and will permit the lidto swing extremely far open without any ap* preciable destructive effectupon the case.

The hinge comprises a member 11 which is adapted for attachment to thebody 1 of the case. Preferably, this member is made of a single piece ofmet-al, and its fiat base portion may be fancifully formed so as to bepleasing in appearance. At one end, the member 1l is provided with apointed angular prong or tongue 12. Its opposite end portion is loopedas at 13 and then formed into a prong or tongue 14. The prong portions12 and 14 are adapted to be passed through slits in the case and bentover or clenched on the inside. Preferably, a slotted reinforcing plate15 is provided kthrough which the prongs may be passed and clenchedlpon.

The lid memberl of the hinge comprises a leaf portion 16 and a pintleportion 17. This member is also preferably formed of a single piece ofmetal. One edge portion is rolled to form the pintle and a slot 18 isprovided through which the prong 14 and looped portion 13 of the lowermember 11 the leaf portion 16 of the lid member of the hinge extendsdiametrically from its pintle portion 17 sof may be passed. Preferably,

and fully opening the same without straining the hinges or theirconnections. The lid member 1G may be secured in place by rivets 19.

The hinge joint is offset .the base plate 11 downwardly at an inclinefrom its hinged side, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Asillustrated, the case may be laid flatwise on a plane surface and thefree side of the ,hinged lid in its open position may be pressed downagainst said plane surfacek without springing' or pulling the hingesloose. By placing the attaching prong 14 close to the hinge joint, thehinge is firmly held at that point so as to effectively resist pullingstrain Y thereon.

It is preferable to insert the leaf portion 1G of the hinge between thetwo layers of material 6 and 9 of the lid, as shown, but in some casesit may be desirable to place it between the inner lining' or the outermaterial and the adjacent stiffening material according to the thicknessof the respective materials.

The hinge member 11, as shown in Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, is providedwith side wing portions 20 which extend across each end of the loopportion so as to serve as wear plates for the end portions of thepintles to prevent chafing or wearing out of the covering of the case atthe point where the hinge is applied.

In Fig. G, the wear plates 20 for the pintle are dispensed with, so thatthe opening of the loop is unobstructed. This construction stiffeningma- In this way, the may be equally outwardly from I and thisfacilitates the opening of the lid so that it may extend!V will servethe purpose in the manufacture of cheaper cases, or when it is notdesirable to have the parts of the hinge assembled before attaching themto the case, as is necessary wth the hinge illustrated in Fig. 5.

Obviously, the device admits of considerable modification withoutdeparting from my invention and, therefore, I do not wish to be limitedto lthe exact construction and arrangement shown.

vWhat I claim as my invention anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A box hinge comprising a flat leaf having an outwardly offset pintlebearing and means for securing said leaf to the side wall of a box, anda lid member comprising a. straight flat leaf having a pintle portionfitted to said pintle bearing, said second mentioned leaf being offsetoutwardly from alinement with said first mentioned leaf, but in parallelrelation thereto in the normal position of said leaves.

Q. A box hinge comprising a flat leaf having one end portion loopedoutwardly to constitute a pintle bearing and bent inwardly atsubstantially right angles to said leaf to constitu-te a securing prongand also having side wing portions extending tangent-ially across theends of said looped pintle bearing portion, and a. straight flat leafhaving a rolled end portion with a slotadjacent thereto so as toconstitute a pintle, said second mentioned leaf being offset outwardlyfrom alinement with said first mentioned leaf but in parallel relationthereto in the normal position of said leaves.

8. A box hinge comprising a flat leaf having one end portion loopedkoutwardly to constitute a pintle bearing and bent inwardly at.substantially right angles to said leaf to constitute a securing prongtherefor, and a leaf havino` a rolled pintle portion fitted to saidloopec portion on said first mentioned leaf and having a slot adjacentto the pintle for the passage of said securing prong, and said secondmentioned leaf being offset outwardly from alinement with said firstmentioned leaf but in parallel relation thereto in the normal positionof said leaves.

Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 18th day of May, 1908.

WILLIAM S. MAXIVELL.

IVitnesses:

G. A. PENNINGTON, J. B. MneoWN.

